Secret Service looking into Obama threat at rally

[Mobius]

By EILEEN SULLIVAN, Associated Press Writer Wed Oct 15, 5:30 PM ET

WASHINGTON - The Secret Service is looking into a second allegation that a participant at a Republican political rally shouted "kill him," referring to Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.
ADVERTISEMENT

The Scranton Times-Tribune reported that someone in the crowd shouted "kill him" after the mention of Obama's name during a rally Tuesday for GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin in Scranton, Pa.

Last week, The Washington Post reported a similar incident during a Palin rally in Clearwater, Fla. The Secret Service investigated that allegation and found no indication that "kill him" was ever said, or if it was said, that the remark was directed at Obama.

Listening to tapes of that rally, the Secret Service heard "tell him" or "tell them," but agents never heard "kill him," Secret Service spokesman Eric Zahren told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

In both the Clearwater and the Scranton instances, the Service only learned of the alleged threats through media reports.

"We would ask that anyone overhearing threatening language bring it to the attention of the Secret Service or other law enforcement at the event immediately," Zahren said.

The Secret Service cannot prevent or police poor behavior at public events, Zahren said, but the agency draws the line at threatening language.

"We do not have the luxury of discounting such language as simply bad taste or bad behavior without further investigation," he said.

So far, the Secret Service has not found anyone else who heard "kill him" Tuesday except for the Times-Tribune reporter.

Shouts of "traitor," "terrorist," "treason," "liar," and even "off with his head" have rung from the crowd at Republican rallies.

The anti-Obama taunts and jeers are noticeably louder when McCain appears with Palin, a big draw for GOP conservatives. She accused Obama last week of "palling around with terrorists" because of his past, loose association with a 1960s radical.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081015/ap_on_el_pr/obama_secret_service